Product of the Year is the largest consumer voted award for product innovation. Product of the Year was created to champion new product innovation and give shoppers a shortcut to the very best new products on the market. It’s not only an internationally recognized award but a proven ROI tool.

For the 2019 awards, we accept entries for products launched between January 2017 through November 2018. Products must have national distribution and demonstrate meaningful consumer innovation in one of the following areas: function, design, packaging, ingredients. If you’re not sure if your product qualifies, please reach out to us, and we can help figure out if your should be entering.

We accept entries from products that demonstrate innovation in their function, design, packaging, or ingredients. This could be a completely new type of product or a useful innovation to an older product or brand, such a new ingredient, redesigned shape or size, new formula (eg. less sugar) or new packaging (eg., user-friendly or “green”). Remember, it does not have to be revolutionary as long as it makes consumers’ lives better/easier. Please contact us directly if you have questions about your product.

We partner with the leading global research company Kantar TNS, to survey a nationally representative sample of over 40,000 American shoppers. The survey is designed to evaluate product innovation on several criteria, including product appeal, satisfaction, advocacy, purchase interest, uniqueness, relevance and excitement.

The general broad categories of product entries we accept include Food and Beverage, Health and Beauty, Personal Care, Household Products, Pet Supplies, Pharmaceuticals, Small Appliances and Electronics, etc. The exact category names are determined by TNS after all entries are received. Because this is an award for innovation, the categories are often driven by innovation trends of the preceding year.

We work with Kantar TNS Research to make sure only comparable products compete with each other and there are never less than 2 or more than 6 products in a category.

If your product is selected to be a part of the 2019 survey of 40,000 consumers, there is a finalist fee of $7,000

If consumers vote your product “Product of the Year”, there is a one-time winner fee of $63,000 that allows promoting the win and using our logo in any type of media for two full years. This fee also covers full inclusion in the national PR campaign which generates an average of 350 million media impressions annually.

Products cannot opt out once submitted. By submitting your product, you are providing full commitment to the program and any fees that may apply if your product is voted a finalist or winner of Product of the Year

A comprehensive research analysis of the Kantar TNS survey of 40,000 consumer, reporting product performance across each measure include appeal, satisfaction, advocacy, purchase interest, uniqueness, relevance and excitement

Most importantly, winners receive a two-year licensing term on unlimited usage of the Product of the Year seal on all marketing material which has a proven track record to lift sales

Press Preview is a preliminary evaluation of all entries to confirm that each product meets the basic requirements for the program. The Press Preview is an event attended by industry professionals, press and bloggers. Products advancing from Press Preview are deemed “Finalists” and are subsequently placed into research for evaluation from the Kantar TNS survey of 40,000 consumers.